1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk-storing disk device in that one disk is selected from a plurality of disks stored in a casing for driving it.
2. Description of the Related Art
An in-dash type on-vehicle disk-storing disk device includes a case complying with 1 DIN or 2 DIN standards in size, and a disk is inserted into the case one by one so as to store a plurality of disks in the case. Disk selecting means is provided in the case, and a space between the selected disk and a disk adjacent thereto is increased by the disk selecting means so that a drive unit moves into the space so as to clamp the selected disk for driving it.
In disk devices disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-217223 and that No. 2003-141809, in the case, trays (holders), each for holding a disk, are provided in piles and selecting means is arranged for increasing a space between the selected disk and a disk adjacent thereto. An insertion opening is opened on the front surface of the case for inserting the disk therethrough one by one. Between the front surface and a tray installation region, a withdrawn region of a drive unit is provided. Within the case on one lateral side, transferring means having a number of rollers is provided. On the other side, a guide member is provided.
The disk inserted through the insertion opening, with the outer edge of the disk being clamped between the transferring means and the guide member, is conveyed into the case by the rotation of a plurality of the rollers.
When a disk is driven, the drive unit located at the withdrawn position is moved to between the disk held in the selected tray and a disk adjacent thereto, so that the disk held in the selected tray is clamped between the drive unit and a turntable so as to be rotated.
However, in the conventional disk device described above, since the withdrawn position of the drive unit is located between the front surface of the case and the tray installation region, there is limitation in reducing the depth size of the case, preventing miniaturization.
In such a disk-storing disk device, as mentioned above, on one lateral side in the case, transferring means having a number of rollers is provided and on the other side, a guide member is provided, and the disk inserted through the insertion opening, with the outer edge of the disk being clamped between the transferring means and the guide member, is conveyed into the case by the rotation of a plurality of the rollers. Instead of this mechanism, between the front surface of the case and the tray installation region, a transfer roller rotating about an axis extending in the lateral direction of the case may be provided while a clamping member opposing the transfer roller from above or below may be arranged, so that a disk may be conveyed by rotating the transfer roller in a state that the disk is clamped on both sides of the disk between the transfer roller and the clamping member.
However, in this case, the disk inserted through the insertion opening is clamped between the transfer roller and the clamping member so as to convey the disk toward the inside of the case for transferring the disk to the tray. Thereafter, it is required to separate the transfer roller and the clamping member from the outer edge of the disk held by the holder by moving them to the front side of the case. However, since the transfer roller and the clamping member are moved in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the transfer roller, a large movement region is necessary therefor, so that miniaturizing the case becomes more difficult.